Conshohocken Borough Council to advertise vote on Wawa

CONSHOHOCKEN — Borough Council decided Wednesday night it will schedule the official advertising for a formal vote on a proposal for a Wawa on Fayette Street at its Feb. 20 meeting.

Special counsel John DiPietro said he and Borough Manager Francis Marabella would prepare a tentative advertising schedule and present it to council in two weeks. DiPietro was appointed to advise council because Conshohocken Solicitor Michael Savona recused himself from considering the Wawa proposal.

The Conshohocken Planning Commission narrowly recommended against a zoning text amendment for the Wawa project on Jan. 22. Commission member Brian Tobin and Chairman David Bertram voted against the amendment, and member Matt Mittman voted for it in the 2-to-1 vote.

The developer, Provco Pineville Fayette L.P. of Villanova, is asking for a text amendment to the residential/office district that would add “convenience retail food store including the sale of fuel” to the permitted uses.

Bertram told council Wednesday night about the Wawa application process and the commission’s hearings in November and January.

“Brian’s motion that the council reject the application was approved 2 to 1,” Bertram said. “That is the very short form of what happened.”

Councilman Matt Ryan asked about Bertram’s concerns about the project, and Bertram said he would forward a letter to all the council members that included his concerns.

Councilman James Griffin quietly suggested taking a vote, but council President Paul McConnell did not act on the suggestion at that point in the workshop session.

Two members of the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) also presented a recommendation against the Wawa plan.

EAC member Nicole Zapatta said the EAC opposed the Wawa proposal because it would increase air pollution from idling vehicles and the large number of vehicles that would be attracted to the site.

Councilman Robert Stokley said he wanted to think about the Wawa proposal for a month, and Ryan and Councilwoman Anita Barton said they wanted to schedule a vote Wednesday night.

The text amendment would require public advertising for 30 days in advance of a scheduled vote.

The Wawa proposal includes a 4,149-square-foot market with 49 parking spaces on the sides and rear of the 1.45-acre lot at 1109 to 1201 Fayette St. Two driveway entrances would be located on Fayette Street, and a two-way driveway entrance would be located off Harry Street into the rear of the former E.F. Moore Chevrolet dealership.

Ten gasoline pumps would be located on five gasoline islands under a canopy at the front of the property. An optional plan would add 22 additional parking spaces across the rear area on Harry Street.